28 September 2015

A rather exciting gold envelope arrived the other day, with the new limited edition Jean Paul Gaultier Glam Classique Instense Eau de Parfum inside. The collector's edition is dressed in gold glitter and has a warm, oriental floral scent which lingers on the skin for hours. Top notes include orange blossom, pear and mandarin, middle notes include iris, orchid and tuberose and the warmth comes from the base notes of amber, musk and vanilla. It hits stores on 5 October, in time for Christmas as the perfect sparkling gift for Classique lovers.

23 September 2015

I recently attended a #Zomatomeetup dinner, a series of evenings organised by Zomato with a handful of foodie bloggers to discover some of their new and favourite restaurants. The event was held at Bunnychow in Soho, a little corner place serving South African "bunnies" which are essentially different curries served in hollowed out bread. They might not sound like much, but they're delicious.

19 September 2015

Ong-Oaj Pairam launched his own label in 2012 after working at Roland Mouret and Proenza Schouler - fast forward three years and he's been named one to watch for his feminine designs, ornate hand embroidery and soft tailoring. I went to his show at the glittering, grand Pompadour Room in the Café Royal Hotel on the first day of London Fashion Week to check out his new Spring/ Summer 2016 collection.

18 September 2015

17 September 2015

On Sunday I got up at silly o'clock, woke myself up with some coffee and got the tube up to Wembley for the Sure Run to the Beat. In its eighth year, the race starts and finishes in Wembley Park and is London's only music 10km race, with live DJs and big speakers dotted along the course and at the finish line, including Marvin Hume, Jameela Jamil and BBC Radio 1's Danny Howard.

16 September 2015

British make up artist Charlotte Tilbury is one of the greats within the industry, with over two decades of experience working with supermodels like Kate Moss and Gisele, the best photographers and magazines and creating catwalk looks for the biggest fashion brands. She put her expertise to good use with a much-hyped new beauty line which launched in 2013 featuring her tried and tested favourite products. The product range is split into skincare, complexion, eyes, lips and tools.

15 September 2015

I was lucky enough to spend last Saturday evening in the Royal Albert Hall at the joyous Last Night of the Proms, the final of the eight week summer season of classical concerts. I've attended lots of Proms over the years and have watched the Last Night on television for as long as I can remember - I've always wanted to go so I was thrilled to tick it off my bucket list. With hundreds of waving flags from all over the world and lots of the crowd in fancy dress, tuxedos or face paint with balloons, bouncing beach balls, rattles, klaxons, whistles and party poppers, the atmosphere is as fantastic as it looks.

9 September 2015

As New York Fashion Week kicks off today and the fashion month madness is about to descend on London once again next Friday, I thought I'd share my favourite looks from the PPQ LFW show I attended back in February. The collection is dark and gothic, mixing Victoriana with 80s romanticism. Inspired by mythical Greek goddess Persephone, each look was all black or black and white: frilly lace, glamorous satin, opulent velvet, sheer fabrics, romantic ruffles, fur-lined coats, long conservative hemlines, high-necked pieces and long button fastenings. Interesting to see PPQ's darker side as well as their more playful usual style.

8 September 2015

During our wonderful stay at Paresa in Phuket, we spent a few hours in the hotel's very own Thai cooking school, Recipe. Thai cuisine has evolved a lot over the centuries, influenced by India, Portugal and China and at Recipe, Master Chef Noon has developed a Southern Thai menu, which is influenced by Malaysian and Indian cuisines. There's a huge amount of seafood in the south and the food is traditionally rather spicy.

7 September 2015

Vichy is one of those pharmacy brands loved by French women of all ages for decades, creating hypoallergenic skincare, body products, haircare and make-up since 1931. Known for its anti-aging products, Dermablend foundations and ranges for sensitive skin, the brand uses thermal spa water from the town of Vichy in its formulations and focuses on natural, active ingredients. One of the latest launches is the Idealia Skin Sleep Night Balm - a rich, intense night cream clinically-proven to stimulate the skin's deep sleep recovery mechanisms.

1 September 2015

Drizzly grey days call for spectacular shoes. These Miu Miu glitter python Mary Jane pumps, crafted in Italy, caught my eye on Net-A-Porter. Even though they're obviously statement shoes, they're also made in wear-with-anything neutrals: colourblock antique rose, cream and brown python, finished with sparkling silver glitter-coated leather, black piping, a buckle fastening and a chunky heel. They were worn on the Paris catwalk with eclectic 50s and 60s minis, high-shine leather skirts and bouclé tweed for a texture clash. No one does Mary Janes quite like Miu Miu and whilst they're out of my price range and I don't need them, a girl can dream.